MAXIMILIAN II

While still crown prince, Maximilian rebuilt Schloss Hohenschwangau in the mountains and made it a centre for artists and men of learning. Coming to the throne in the eventful year of 1848, he sought a middle way for Germany between the rivalry of Austria and Prussia, and granted Bavaria a constitution in 1859. He continued to invite scientists such as Liebig to Munich, regardless of their religious views, in spite of criticism from the ultramontane party.Early in his career Cardinal Brignole wrote a paper on the reform of the Papal bureaucracy, but his period as treasurer (1833-1834) was a disaster. He proceeded to squander the sum of 3,000,000 scudi, lent by Rothschild at 72½% in August 1832, only to request another loan for the same sum in September 1833 at 82%, to cover the deficit which had leapt to 850,000 scudi per annum. From 1842 he was President of the Congregation for the Audit and Public Administration, and from 1851 Prefect of the Congregation of the Index.